Originally Posted By warlord:Great! I thoroughly enjoyed the first movie. I will make a it point to see it.

"first movie" ?

There was another movie by Dan Mass, it showed the Mars Rover taking off and similulated landing on Mars. I think that movie was up on Dan Mass' website for about a year was withdrawn. He only had permission to use the music, Holst's Venus for one year.

The "first movie" was a 10-minute clip I created for NASA three years ago. (it is still on my website www.maasdigital.com/gallery.html). The IMAX film is better by leaps and bounds. It's got a full Hollywood-quality music score and sound effects track.

Did I miss the Imax movie on Red Flag? That's the one I really want to see!!

"The great object is that every man be armed. ... Everyone who is able may have a gun." Patrick Henry during Virginia's ratification convention (1788) "A nation of sheep begets a government of wolves."-- Edward R. Murrow Sua Sponte

Yeah, they had to cut out a LOT to make the 40-minute mark. (any longer and it wouldn't be eligible for the "Short Documentary" Oscar). The early edits were around 1 hour. I wish they had kept some of the "disaster moments" like loss of contact with Spirit.

I agree that the launch is a little late in the film (minute 17!). Though I think the preceding material is important for giving background info for people who are not familiar with the mission.

Originally Posted By dmaas:Disney's Roving Mars, an IMAX film I worked on, opens in 16 cities today. I led the team of animators who created one third of the film (all of the CGI parts). Hope you all enjoy.

edit: link fixed

We're going to see it tomorrow. (Sunday) Our 10 year old son is absolutely fascinated with just about anything scientific, and has been bugging me for a week to see it when it comes out. We'll be seeing it at the one in the St. Louis Science Center.

Ex 22:2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

"I wanted people to be impressed with my abilities and experience, not my ass." Pattymcn 6-23-05

I hope to take the little ones to see it next time I'm in Fort Lauderdale.

"The greatest want in the world is for men who will not be bought, who in their souls are true and honest, who do not fear to call sin by its rightful name, and who will stand for the right though the heavens may fall." - Ellen White

DRYDEN - In high school, Dan Maas created an animation that depicted two flying spaceships - one piloted by a fictional alien, the other by his friend.

Little did the self-confessed “space geek” know that animations like his high school creation would lead to the “Big Screen” - big as in IMAX big.

On Friday, the IMAX movie “Roving Mars” opened in 24 theaters across the country. The documentary tells the story of the two terrestrial rovers, “Spirit” and “Opportunity,” that touched down on Mars.Maas' firm, Maas Digital, did the animation work for about 12 minutes of footage in the 40-minute Disney film, which was directed by George Butler and produced by Frank Marshall.

The animation includes realistic pictures of everything related to the mission, from the Boeing Delta II rocket's position flying around the moon on the day it launched to the specks of dirt on the balloons that absorbed the impact once the rovers bounced to the Mars surface.

“We made use of satellite photos and Rover photos,” Maas said of the work done by the team he assembled to work on the project. “Our intent was to recreate exactly what it looks like on Mars.”

Maas got involved on the Mars project after he convinced Cornell University professor Steven Squyres he could produce quality animation work, something Maas, 24, had worked on since high school.

So from April to November in 2005, Maas and a team of four worked countless hours in his Dryden studio perfecting the realistic animations that depict where rocks, mountains, craters are actually situated on Mars based on satellite images and photographs sent back from the rovers.

The team would do some work, FedEx it to California where the movie was being produced, and repeat the process over and over again. Originally, the contract called for six minutes of animation, but an additional six were added later in the project.

Finally, in December, Maas was able to see the finished product in Los Angeles where an IMAX screen was rented.

“Everyone was sort of giddy,” Maas said. “IMAX is such a special medium. There is no way to get the feel of it unless you are in a theater and looking at it on the large screen. It is such a tremendous rush.”

Maas hired three digital artists — Aja Bogdanoff, John Niehuss and Benjamin Schweighart — and one computer programmer, Justin Wick, to work on the film.

Bogdanoff said she knew little about the Mars rover mission before she started on the project, but that changed after seven months of work.

“The images in the film are identical of how it would have been if someone was standing on the surface of Mars when it landed,” she said. “Countless hours were put into making every single detail was as accurate as possible. It will definitely stand up to the attention of serious space geeks.”

Contact: atutino@ithacajournal.com

Originally published January 28, 2006

Nice work!

*post contains personal opinion only and should not be considered information released in an official capacity*

Originally Posted By dmaas:Yeah, they had to cut out a LOT to make the 40-minute mark. (any longer and it wouldn't be eligible for the "Short Documentary" Oscar). The early edits were around 1 hour. I wish they had kept some of the "disaster moments" like loss of contact with Spirit.

I agree that the launch is a little late in the film (minute 17!). Though I think the preceding material is important for giving background info for people who are not familiar with the mission.

WTF? "short documentary" ??crying shame to have good material and then just chop it up for the persuit of an "award". Knowing what I know about the missions, it left a lot to be desired... and now to know that they cut stuff off-

going into the movie I was pretty excited and went as far to say that I would be buying the DVD.

IF the dvd is only what I saw yesterday, I'll pass. If they include all the stuff they choped off, then I'd consider a purchase.

Don't let my comments above take away from your moment. The movie was ok, photos were great, but short in number; AND you guys did an killer job with the CGI. The details were awesome. I can only imagine how detailed they were considering all we got to see was a quick 'real time' glimpse of it.

DRYDEN - In high school, Dan Maas created an animation that depicted two flying spaceships - one piloted by a fictional alien, the other by his friend.

Little did the self-confessed “space geek” know that animations like his high school creation would lead to the “Big Screen” - big as in IMAX big.

On Friday, the IMAX movie “Roving Mars” opened in 24 theaters across the country. The documentary tells the story of the two terrestrial rovers, “Spirit” and “Opportunity,” that touched down on Mars.Maas' firm, Maas Digital, did the animation work for about 12 minutes of footage in the 40-minute Disney film, which was directed by George Butler and produced by Frank Marshall.

The animation includes realistic pictures of everything related to the mission, from the Boeing Delta II rocket's position flying around the moon on the day it launched to the specks of dirt on the balloons that absorbed the impact once the rovers bounced to the Mars surface.

“We made use of satellite photos and Rover photos,” Maas said of the work done by the team he assembled to work on the project. “Our intent was to recreate exactly what it looks like on Mars.”

Maas got involved on the Mars project after he convinced Cornell University professor Steven Squyres he could produce quality animation work, something Maas, 24, had worked on since high school.

So from April to November in 2005, Maas and a team of four worked countless hours in his Dryden studio perfecting the realistic animations that depict where rocks, mountains, craters are actually situated on Mars based on satellite images and photographs sent back from the rovers.

The team would do some work, FedEx it to California where the movie was being produced, and repeat the process over and over again. Originally, the contract called for six minutes of animation, but an additional six were added later in the project.

Finally, in December, Maas was able to see the finished product in Los Angeles where an IMAX screen was rented.

“Everyone was sort of giddy,” Maas said. “IMAX is such a special medium. There is no way to get the feel of it unless you are in a theater and looking at it on the large screen. It is such a tremendous rush.”

Maas hired three digital artists — Aja Bogdanoff, John Niehuss and Benjamin Schweighart — and one computer programmer, Justin Wick, to work on the film.

Bogdanoff said she knew little about the Mars rover mission before she started on the project, but that changed after seven months of work.

“The images in the film are identical of how it would have been if someone was standing on the surface of Mars when it landed,” she said. “Countless hours were put into making every single detail was as accurate as possible. It will definitely stand up to the attention of serious space geeks.”

The two hour-long NOVA programs on the mission are available on DVD already. They are not as visually spectacular as the IMAX film, but more in-depth about the science and engineering aspects. Both include about 6 minutes of animation (not as advanced as the IMAX work though):

I saw it Sunday in San Francisco. I wish I had more time to study this. Awesome movie and the animations were outstanding.

I have lots of questions but the one item I don't understand; during final staging and seperation, the spinning craft realeases two tethered objects in opposite directions. What purpose do they serve?

I figured something like modifying spin rate but a few ounces of fuel would do that. The tethers might be used to convert cetrifugal energy into a seperation push without explosives, but I'm just guessing.

Did the tech data you created the animations from shed any light on this?

Originally Posted By Arlis:I have lots of questions but the one item I don't understand; during final staging and seperation, the spinning craft realeases two tethered objects in opposite directions. What purpose do they serve?

Those are the "yo-yo counterweights." Their purpose is to carry away excess angular momentum, to help slow down the spin rate. The spacecraft does have reaction wheels and thrusters to control its spin, but I think the 20-30 RPM rate is too much for them handle, at least without wasting lots of fuel.

I know at least one or two ARFcommers work on the real Boeing Delta rockets, maybe they can confirm? :)

It just struck me as odd that "weight" would be added to a spacecraft when every ounce has to be budgeted for, and the apparent function of what amounts to ballast might be accomplished by less weight in fuel. Its all in the numbers I guess. Thanks for clearing that up.